Almost Human
by Miss Helga
Summary: At the Final Challenge of the Tri Wizard Tournament, The Dark Lord returned and gave young Harry Potter something to think about. NewBody!Voldemort Dumbledore!Bashing  Maybe Dark!Harry Secretive!Harry  No couples at this moment   Genre change later
1. Chapter 1

_**AN: Hi guys. **_

_**Well. Here is is.**_

_** My first REAL Fanfiction with no OCs! :D **_

_**I am going to concentrate on this one for now. **_

_**I really hope you like it.**_

_**I do NOT own Harry Potter.**_

_**JK Rowling does.**_

_**I do own most of my ideas, though.**_

_**Please comment? Comments are very much appreciated!**_

_**[EDIT] Also, I am combining some chapters to make it longer. So if you have been reading this, and the chapters suddenly seem less, you know what happened. **_

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><p>Harry James Potter was fourteen years old, at the start of this story. He had just come home to Privet Drive from his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The term "home" is used loosely by Harry. Hogwarts is the only home he knows. He can't call his life with his relatives, the Dursleys, home. They abused him his whole life, never treating him any better than a common slave. He cooks their meals, cleans their house, tends to their needs, and so much more. He was kept under the stairs in a cupboard most of his life, serving as his room. They kept that he was a Wizard a secret from him his entire life. A half-giant had to come and tell him about Hogwarts and the Wizarding World.<p>

He learned from complete strangers that he was something of a Messiah to the Wizarding World, having vanquished the Dark Lord Voldemort as a baby, loosing his parents in the process. Every year since he learned this, Voldemort has tried to kill him, even in Death. Harry's second year, Voldemort opened the Chamber of Secrets, unleashing a basilisk on many of the Muggle-Borns, Wizards and Witches born to non-magical families, at school. He did so by using a diary that he kept as a student many years ago and the younger sister of Harry's best friend, Ron Weasley. Back then he was only known as Tom Riddle, a charismatic Slytherin youth. Harry conquered the basilisk and saved Ginny Weasley and the school. He was a hero once again. Not that it mattered very much to him. All of this was just thrown on him when he was eleven years old.

Every Summer he has to return to these people he had to call family until he finished his schooling. Harry wasn't exactly thrilled to ever return to this place. Especially not this year. During the school year, he took place in a tournament called the Tri-Wizard Tournament. It was supposed to be between three schools; Hogwarts, Durmstrang, and Beauxbatons. One has to be of legal age in the Wizarding World, seventeen, to enter because of the death toll in the past tournaments. There is only one Champion from each school, chosen at random by the Goblet of Fire. From what was later discovered to be a trap by Lord Voldemort's followers, the Death Eaters, to resurrect their Master, Harry's name came out of the Goblet as a fourth name and second Champion for Hogwarts. Using Harry's blood, Voldemort returned. Cedric Diggory, the other Champion for Hogwarts, was killed by a Death Eater. Cedric was only a spare. He didn't need to die. Harry remembered Voldemort's rebirth too well.

_The infant-like creature that went into the cauldron was no longer a creature. A handsome man, looking no older than 30, emerged. Harry instantly recognized the man to be an older version of Tom Riddle from the diary. This man was the Dark Lord. Harry, tied to a tombstone, was too shocked to say anything intelligent. The Death Eaters all appeared around them in the graveyard. They, too, were shocked to see their Lord. _

_"Harry Potter." Once blue eyes glistened red at the boy. "We meet again. How much you have grown since we last met in the Chamber." The dark chuckle made shivers go down Harry's spine. A hand came to move his hair from his scar. A finger lingered on the spot his lightning bolt scar was. "I can touch you, now. Your blood runs through my veins. Your mother's Blood Protection no longer works against me, young one. You are at my mercy. Afraid?" The binds holding Harry dropped. "Duel me." _

_Harry took up his wand and slowly came to his feet. He pointed his wand at the raven-haired man in front of him, shaking. He stumbled walking forward a bit, trying to get closer to the man who killed his parents. He had the wand pointing at the murderer's throat. Opening his mouth, no words came. Only tears. He fell to his knees crying in front of his enemy. He knew how pathetic he must look. "Cedric" was the only audible sound he could make. _

_"Dumbledore's Golden Boy." Tom- no, Voldemort gave a curt, sarcastic laugh. "You and I are more alike than you want to think. I, too, didn't take my first view of death very well. Though, I was much younger than you when my roommate hung himself from the rafters in that Hell I grew up in." A hand was placed on Harry's head. "Boy, you know what Hell is. It is all around you, yet you do not notice the truth. Dumbledore knew." Harry looked up. He knew that man was referring to his home life. How he knew that's what he meant, he didn't know. He just did. "He knows everything, doesn't he? Yet, he let you stay there. He continues to send you back there every year. To your own Hell." The hand moved to his cheek. "When you stop being manipulated by the old fool, you will see the truth. My offer from the Chamber still stands, if you wish to seek me out." It wasn't until the Dark Lord moved to stand that Harry realized he was being spoken to in Parsletongue after being called a Golden Boy. Tom stood and walked towards his Death Eaters. "As you are now, it would be unsatisfying to kill you. You are pathetic. We will meet again." His Death Eaters chuckled as they all retreated in the dark. _

_Harry scurried to his feet and grabbed Cedric's body and the Portkey, taking them back to Hogwarts. _

Few believed that Voldemort had returned. Most didn't want to accept it. Just like Harry Potter didn't want to accept that Lord Voldemort had a point.

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><p>The Setting was Wiltshire, in the south of England. Malfoy Manor was a commotion with the return of the Dark Lord. House Elves ran about the Manor, preparing for the vast amount of guests, Death Eaters, that had to stay there. Those whom had never been invited to the grand Manor before had gawked at the opulent layout and furnishings of the residence. Albino peacocks decorated the yards along with luxurious statuary. The halls were lined with antique tapestries, busts, potteries, and paintings of all sorts. It was clear that the Malfoys preferred to live ostentatiously, showing off their great wealth to the masses. With all of the grandeur and spectacles to behold at the Manor, few bothered to even read their morning papers.<p>

**THE BOY WHO LIES? FUDGE: "ALL IS WELL."**

Severus Snape, Potions Master and Head of Slytherin House, billowed in to the Dark Lord's Study. "My Lord," Severus bowed in submission to the man. "You called for me?"

"Yes, Severus," the man acknowledged his presence from his chair. "Rise, my ever faithful. I take it you have read this issue of The Daily Prophet?" The seemingly-younger male handed the paper to the Potions Master. "I find Potter's description of events taken place at my rebirth rather amusing. I do not recall most of the ones he mentions in this article."

**I had the honor to sit down with Mister Harry Potter a few weeks after all the excitement of the Tri Wizard Tournament was over to discuss what he saw the day of the Final Challenge. "Cedric was killed by a Death Eater. The Death Eater who killed him was holding a creature of sorts. The creature ordered Cedric's death. This creature went into a cauldron and came out claiming to be the Dark Lord." At this point young Harry Potter seemed to be looking deep within himself as to remember a great horror. "The man, you couldn't even call a man. His skin was white like an albino snake. He had no nose, just slits where it should be. He looked more snake than man. I never saw such a terrifying sight. His red eyes still haunt my dreams. I keep seeing him." Young Potter now looks distant, as if he is reliving the scene. I, being the Journalist I am, asked him to recall what happened those few weeks ago. "I was tied to a tombstone when his Death Eaters appeared. He then released me to duel him. I did. Our magic battled each other as we put as much force as we could behind our spells. I was able to overpower him just slightly. My hesitation from exhaustion gave him and the Death Eaters enough time to Apparate away. I wish I could go back. I would stop him from returning. I would not have asked Cedric to take the Cup with me, if I knew what it was. I-" This Reporter decided it best to not provoke Harry Potter any further. By now he was crying over the death of Cedric Diggory and the supposed return of the Dark Lord. Potter put up a convincing show, but who is to say he isn't lying?**

**Minister Fudge says it is all a hoax and that there is no way that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has returned. "All is well. I believe this is simply a ruse made up by the Headmaster and his Golden Boy to put more faith in Headmaster Dumbledore and away from the Ministry. It's all hogwash, I say."**

**Well you heard it here first. The testimonies from Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived, and Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic. Has he really returned or this simply a ploy to grab attention? This Reporter will let the Public decide.**

Severus was baffled by the descriptions the boy had made in the article. Snake-like? Horrifying? An equally matched duel? He recalls none of that happening, and he was there. "My Lord?"

"Tell me, Severus. What is your take on this article?" Voldemort gave a contemplating smirk, knowing what answer he would hear.

"Well, My Lord," Severus paused to ponder which words to use. "It seems the Potter boy was ashamed by his weakness and fabricated this, as the Minister said, 'Hogwash,' to show the masses that he is a brave and valiant boy, when he is only a weak coward. He simply wanted attention and more fame to his name." Of course the boy would do something like that, thought Severus. His father, James, would have done the same.

A slight chuckle escaped the Dark Lord's lips. "Yes. I thought you would say as much, Severus. Though, I have to disagree. I say he told this outlandish lie to the public because he was scared and confused by the options that have been laid before him."

"My Lord? What options do you speak of?" Severus and the other Death Eaters had not been told about the private conversation between their Lord and Harry Potter.

"Ah, yes. I often forget that Harry and I are the only ones who speak Parseltongue." He gave a lethargic wave of the hand. "He and I had a little chat at my rebirthing. I hopefully made him think, for a change. Young boys rarely do." He gave a small, amused chuckle accompanying his smirk. "I leave it up to you to discover if the boy told Dumbledore the truth of what happened or if he is keeping this from everyone. I also want you to confront the boy at school, subtly of course, about why he lied. Let's even make a bet of it. 100 galleons to the hypothesis that is correct. What do you say, Severus? Up for a friendly wager?"

Voldemort did not exactly give him a choice on the wager, in Severus's opinion. "Yes, My Lord. I will discover the information you need me to."

"Oh, Severus. You were so young when I was last on this earth. Barely a man, you were. I hope to see a loyal servant and good friend become of you to me, now." He stared off to a spot on the ceiling, reminiscing of his last reign and thinking of his future glory. "Oh, listen to me. I sound like some old fool thinking back on his prime. Mush like that senile Headmaster. No. My prime has only just begun." He had a devilish smirk painted on his face and dismissed his Double Agent. "And hopefully, young Harry shall follow in my stead one day. What a nice heir he would make," Tom mused to himself, now alone. "That is, if he accepts my offer. Though, I rather think he will. Power and knowledge are quite hard to refuse, after all. Especially to growing and curious minds like ours, my little lion cub."


	2. Chapter 2

_**AN: Me, again!**_

_**I'm NOT JK Rowling. And I do NOT own Harry Potter.**_

_**I DO sort of own this idea, though.**_

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><p>With no word from any of his friends, or anyone from the Wizarding World, all Summer, Harry Potter had time to actually think about the war. He made a list of the Pros and Cons of each side. It then dawned on him that he really didn't know as much about the war as he originally thought, when his list didn't even take up half a page. It was time to go about this in a new direction. What did HE want from the war? What could he compromise on and what could he not? He even wondered what WERE the issues of the war, besides what he has been told by the Light. And even The-Boy-Who-Lived had to admit that of the Light families he has met, many of them are biased. He doubted that he could hear both sides clearly while only looking to the Light. The Malfoys were really the only Dark family he knew of, personally, and, while he never exactly sat and talked about the war with them, it was obvious they were as biased as, dare say, the Weasleys. This was really the first time the boy ever started to think about the war in depth, and it surprised him that he never has before.<p>

The Dursleys were have company over or some other nonsense, so Harry had to get out of the house for a bit. Dudley was surely just showing off his new toys and games to his friends, and his relatives didn't want any "Freaky Business" going on the next room over. The park was his favorite place to go, when he had to be out of the house. He would just sit on the swing and reflect on everything in his life.

All Harry actually knew about the war is that people have died, and he is an orphan because of it. But so were others. People die in war. If not, then it isn't exactly a real war. He knew, from overhearing the news all of these years, that death and war went hand-in-hand and that it was not uncommon for it to cause orphans. He knew that his parents died for their beliefs and him. He knew that Voldemort killed them because they were his enemy and The-Boy-Who-Lived was supposed to be a threat to the Dark Lord. Thinking about it, Harry decided that he would probably have done the same if he were the big, scary Dark Lord. Of course Harry still mourns the parents he never knew, feels scorn towards the man who killed them, but not as much as he had before. Cedric, though, was a spare. Someone who needn't have died. He was a casualty. But there are casualties lost in times of war who are caught up in the crossfire. It was a case of Wrong-Time-Wrong-Place. It didn't make the pain of watching him die in an instant any better. Just more understandable.

The-Boy-Who-Lived and Just-Harry are two different people in Harry's eyes. The-Boy-Who-Lived is a child who defeated the Dark Lord by a chance of luck and love as an infant. He is the icon of the Light. He is strong and someone many can look up to and put their faith in. Just-Harry is an orphaned boy who grew up never knowing about his what his family really is and how they died. He was lied to and abused by his relatives all of his life. He's a weak boy who just wants so desperately somewhere to belong that he would believe the first people who showed him any great kindness. If he had taken Draco's hand that first day, he would have probably been taken in by the Malfoys and spent his holidays with them, learning about the Dark Arts from their view. He would be a Slytherin. This is, assuming that they would have treated him similar to how the Weasleys did.

Sometimes Harry wonders what would have happened if he changed his mind while sitting on that stool. If he didn't beg the hat to be put in Gryffindor. Since he can't go back, it seems sort of foolish to wish it. But everyone feels like that at times right? When they feel so low and alone that they doubt they made the right choices in the long run. And if he did, was it too late to correct them? Why did he lie about Voldemort? Surely the truth would get out sooner or later. What does the Dark think about his lie? Does the Light know it was a lie? Has Snape told Dumbledore? He knows he was there, among the Death Eaters. Will Harry be confronted by Malfoy at school, asking about why he lied? Harry knew he saw Malfoy Sr. at the Rebirthing. Maybe he should contact Voldemort, like he offered. Harry needed answers. He needed to know what this war was about, if about anything. He needed to know both sides.

From the way Voldemort spoke to Harry a month ago, he seemed to be talking to Just-Harry, the boy who has known so much pain for his short life, not The-Boy-Who-Lived-To-Be-A-Pain-In-His-Ass, Savior of the Wizarding World. Harry can't remember the last time Dumbledore tried to see things from his perspective. The Headmaster always spoke in riddles to Harry. The riddles usually didn't even make sense until after everything was said, done, and nearly killed him. Dumbledore has kept many things from Harry, and is sure he still is. Keeping the truth about the Dark Lord's Rebirth doesn't even begin to make up for the lies and hidden-truths of Albus Dumbledore. Maybe that is why Harry subconsciously lied to the reporter about what he saw that day when the Dark Lord returned. There was just something about To-Voldemort that made Harry want to believe him. To seek him out and find answers to his questions.

Hedwig, Harry's snowy-white owl and familiar, landed on his outstretched arm. "Perfect timing, girl." Harry took out a treat to feed her. "How was your flight?" The owl hooted happily in reply, making the boy smile a bit. "I want to send a letter to someone. I am not expecting a reply, so don't wait for one. After I give it to you, be careful." Hedwig hooted in understanding and flew a short distance to the bars above Harry on the swing. He retrieved a crumbled piece of parchment, pen, and envelope that he kept in his pocket as a "just in case."

**Draco,**

**You are probably surprised, confused, and appalled about receiving this letter. **

**I have been thinking a lot about past events this Summer and have come to a conclusion.**

**We need to talk when school is back in session. **

**As soon as possible. **

**Alone.**

**Do not tell anyone.**

**Please do not reply, as I can never be too sure who is watching.**

**This is not a joke,**

**The Lion with a Snake's tongue**

Folded and sealed, Harry gives the letter the Hedwig. "Here, girl. Take this to Malfoy Manor. Make sure Draco, and ONLY Draco, sees this." The bird was slightly confused but hooted in compliance and flew away, leaving Harry to his cousin and his friends who were advancing towards the park.

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><p>Things kept getting more curious and complicated at Malfoy Manor.<p>

Draco Malfoy sat in his room trying to make sense of everything in his life. For instance, why did Potter send him such a cryptic letter? It wasn't too hard to figure out that "The Lion with a Snake's tongue" was Potter, thinking back to their second year at Hogwarts. Just about everyone knew by now that The-Boy-Who-Lived was a Parselmouth, so Draco thought the alias to be in bad taste. If you were to make a cryptic letter, at least make the alias a bit challenging to uncover. He had to admit, though in poor taste, there was some wit in Potter's alias.

The main thing that the young blond was wracking his brain about was about what his school-time-nemesis sounded so urgent and sure to discuss.

No one really told Draco much of what was going on at his home. He knew all the people who were staying were Death Eaters. He had even heard about the Dark Lord's new body, though he hadn't seen the newly-resurrected man himself. (Some Death Eaters liked to gossip more than others.) All of these Death Eaters and the realism of the war around him had Draco Malfoy on edge, wanting nothing more than to get back to school and talk to Potter. Perhaps the Scarhead knew something and would share it with the grey-eyed boy. It was only a hope. A far out hope, Draco realized. But he was too anxious. He had to know. It was driving him to the brink of insanity.

Though he hated to admit it, Draco Malfoy only looked forward to seeing Harry Potter when school started. He was planning out the confrontation. How would he do it? Should he make Potter and himself get detention? Draco knew his godfather, Professor Snape, would force a detention on Potter to speak with him about the Dark Lord. Maybe Draco should speak to the Potions Master about attending Potter's first Potions' detention? He didn't know what to do. He was just too anxious.

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><p><em><strong>Hey guys! <strong>_

_**This story is a go-with-the-flow kind of thing. **_

_**I might not update a lot or post many new chapters all at one time.**_

_** I'll try to post more soon though.**_


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